Litter Decomposition of Scirpus maritimus L. in a Mediterranean Coastal Marsh: Importance of the Meiofauna during the Initial Phases of Detached Leaves Decomposition

Growth, senescence and decomposition rates of Scirpus maritimus were studied in a Mediterranean brackish wetland. Plant tussocks were tagged in March, 2002 and were totally dead by September, 2002. Decomposition rates were determined over 360 days using litter bag technique and mass loss, nutrient dynamics, fungal biomass, meiofauna and macroorganisms were determined. Decomposition rate of detached S. maritimus litter was 0.00196 (k, day^–1) with a 54% of mass lost observed in 1 year. The pattern of mass loss was characterized by an initial phase of fast loss of organic matter with high density of meiofauna and a decrease of oxygen content, followed by two slower phases, with no significant losses from 50 to 180 days and with 21% of mass lost from 180 to 360 days. Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) content of plant litter increased during decomposition process whereas atomic C:N and C:P ratios decreased, suggesting a nutrient immobilization on plant detritus. Fungal biomass measured as ergosterol content decreased after submersion of leaves, indicating that their importance in litter decomoposition decreases in submerged leaves during the first days of decomposition. An inverse relationship (r = –0.79, P < 0.005) was observed between ergosterol content and nematodes density on S. maritimus litter. Our results suggest that in Mediterranean brackish marshes, where large amounts of dead organic matter is accumulated over the sediment surface, decomposition process is greatly affected by extremely high temperatures in summer that, if water is available, accelerates microbial activity decreasing oxygen content thus slowing decomposition. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Distribution of ecosystem C and N within contrasting vegetation types in a semiarid rangeland in the Great Basin,USA

Semiarid sagebrush ecosystems are being transformed by wildfire, rangeland improvement techniques, and exotic plant invasions, but the effects on ecosystem C and N dynamics are poorly understood. We compared ecosystem C and N pools to 1 m depth among historically grazed Wyoming big sagebrush, introduced perennial crested wheatgrass, and invasive annual cheatgrass communities, to examine whether the quantity and quality of plant inputs to soil differs among vegetation types. Natural abundance δ¹⁵N isotope ratios were used to examine differences in ecosystem N balance. Sagebrush-dominated sites had greater C and N storage in plant biomass compared to perennial or annual grass systems, but this was predominantly due to woody biomass accumulation. Plant C and N inputs to soil were greatest for cheatgrass compared to sagebrush and crested wheatgrass systems, largely because of slower root turnover in perennial plants. The organic matter quality of roots and leaf litter (as C:N ratios) was similar among vegetation types, but lignin:N ratios were greater for sagebrush than grasses. While cheatgrass invasion has been predicted to result in net C loss and ecosystem degradation, we observed that surface soil organic C and N pools were greater in cheatgrass and crested wheatgrass than sagebrush-dominated sites. Greater biomass turnover in cheatgrass and crested wheatgrass versus sagebrush stands may result in faster rates of soil C and N cycling, with redistribution of actively cycled N towards the soil surface. Plant biomass and surface soil δ¹⁵N ratios were enriched in cheatgrass and crested wheatgrass relative to sagebrush-dominated sites. Source pools of plant available N could become ¹⁵N enriched if faster soil N cycling rates lead to greater N trace gas losses. In the absence of wildfire, if cheatgrass invasion does lead to degradation of ecosystem function, this may be due to faster nutrient cycling and greater nutrient losses, rather than reduced organic matter inputs.     

喀斯特区不同退化程度植被群落植物-凋落物-土壤-微生物生态化学计量特征

为摸清喀斯特植被退化对群落各组分C、N、P生态化学计量特征及内稳态特征的影响,为喀斯特退化生态系统植被恢复与重建提供科学依据,以桂西北喀斯特地区5种退化程度植被群落为研究对象,测定了不同退化程度植被群落植物叶片、凋落物、土壤和微生物生物量的C、N、P含量,分析其化学计量比特征、相互关系及植物内稳性特征。结果表明：(1)随着退化程度加剧,叶片C、N、P含量、N∶P和凋落物N∶P、微生物量C显著下降,而叶片C∶N、C∶P则显著增加,且植物叶片N∶P<14;随退化程度加剧,凋落物N、P含量、土壤C、N、P含量、微生物量N、P呈先略有增后显著降低的趋势,且不同退化程度群落土壤N∶P和微生物量C∶N无显著差异。(2)叶片N、P含量与土壤N、P含量,叶片C∶P与土壤C∶N、C∶P、N∶P,叶片N∶P与凋落物N、N∶P,叶片C、N、P含量与微生物量C呈显著或极显著正相关关系;叶片C∶N与土壤C、N,叶片C∶P与土壤N、P,叶片N∶P与土壤P呈显著或极显著负相关关系。(3)喀斯特地区植物叶片N、P元素的内稳性指数(H)平均值分别为2.74和2.31,属于弱稳态型,叶片N∶P的H值为5.14,为稳...     

亚热带不同植被恢复阶段林地凋落物层现存量和养分特征

为揭示亚热带森林植被自然恢复过程中,凋落物层现存量及其养分元素储存能力的演变,采用空间代替时间的方法,在位于亚热带丘陵区的长沙县选取地域相邻、生境条件基本一致的檵木+南烛+杜鹃灌草丛（Loropetalum chinense+Vaccinium bracteatum +Rhododendron simsii scrub-grass-land,LVR）、檵木+杉木+白栎灌木林（L.chinense+Cunninghamia lanceolata+Quercus fabri shrubbery,LCQ）、马尾松+柯+檵木针阔混交林（Pinus massoniana +Lithocarpus glaber +L.chinense coniferous-broad leaved mixed forest,PLL）、柯+红淡比+青冈常绿阔叶林（L.glaber+Cleyera japonica+Cyclobalanopsis glauca evergreen broad-leaved forest,LAG）作为一个恢复序列,设置固定样地,采集未分解层（U层）、半分解层（S层）、已分解层（D层）凋落物样品,测定凋落物层现存量和主要养分元素含量、储量及其释放率,分析植物多样性指数与凋落物层现存量、养分元素含量的相关性。结果表明：1）凋落物层及各分解层凋落物现存量随着植被恢复而增加;同一恢复阶段D层凋落物现存量最高,占凋落物层现存量的41.59%-51.02%,不同分解层凋落物现存量的差异随着植被恢复而增大;各恢复阶段凋落物分解率为0.44-0.61,周转期为1.65-2.28 a。2）凋落物层及各分解层凋落物主要养分元素含量均表现为：N > Ca > Mg > K > P,随着植被恢复呈现出不同的变化特征,其中N、P含量总体上呈增加趋势,K含量LAG（除U层外）最高,PLL最低,Ca含量LCQ最高,PLL最低,Mg含量LAG（除U层外）最高,LVR最低;同一恢复阶段N、P（除PLL、LAG外）、K、Ca、Mg含量随着凋落物的分解而下降。3）不同恢复阶段凋落物层主要养分元素的储量依次为：N > Ca > Mg > K > P;凋落物层及各分解层凋落物主要养分元素总储量及各种养分元素的储量总体上随着植被恢复而增加;同一恢复阶段随着凋落物的分解,N、P储量增加,而K、Ca、Mg储量变化不大;随着植被恢复,凋落物层养分元素储存能力和转化归还能力提高,特别是N,养分元素总释放率下降,有利于养分的固持。4）乔木层、灌木层、草本层的植物多样性指数对凋落物层现存量和主要养分元素含量的影响不同,其中乔木层的影响最明显。     

Stability of above-ground and below-ground processes to extreme drought in model grassland ecosystems: Interactions with plant species diversity and soil nitrogen availability

Extreme drought events have the potential to cause dramatic changes in ecosystem structure and function, but the controls upon ecosystem stability to drought remain poorly understood. Here we used model systems of two commonly occurring, temperate grassland communities to investigate the short-term interactive effects of a simulated 100-year summer drought event, soil nitrogen (N) availability and plant species diversity (low/high) on key ecosystem processes related to carbon (C) and N cycling. Whole ecosystem CO₂ fluxes and leaching losses were recorded during drought and post-rewetting. Litter decomposition and C/N stocks in vegetation, soil and soil microbes were assessed 4 weeks after the end of drought. Experimental drought caused strong reductions in ecosystem respiration and net ecosystem CO₂ exchange, but ecosystem fluxes recovered rapidly following rewetting irrespective of N and species diversity. As expected, root C stocks and litter decomposition were adversely affected by drought across all N and plant diversity treatments. In contrast, drought increased soil water retention, organic nutrient leaching losses and soil fertility. Drought responses of above-ground vegetation C stocks varied depending on plant diversity, with greater stability of above-ground vegetation C to drought in the high versus low diversity treatment. This positive effect of high plant diversity on above-ground vegetation C stability coincided with a decrease in the stability of microbial biomass C. Unlike species diversity, soil N availability had limited effects on the stability of ecosystem processes to extreme drought. Overall, our findings indicate that extreme drought events promote post-drought soil nutrient retention and soil fertility, with cascading effects on ecosystem C fixation rates. Data on above-ground ecosystem processes underline the importance of species diversity for grassland function in a changing environment. Furthermore, our results suggest that plant–soil interactions play a key role for the short-term stability of above-ground vegetation C storage to extreme drought events.     

Interactive effects of elevated CO<Subscript>2</Subscript>, N deposition and climate change on plant litter quality in a California annual grassland

Although global changes can alter ecosystem nutrient dynamics indirectly as a result of their effects on plant litter quality, the interactive effects of global changes on plant litter remain largely unexplored in natural communities. We investigated the effects of elevated CO₂, N deposition, warming and increased precipitation on the composition of organic compounds in plant litter in a fully-factorial experiment conducted in a California annual grassland. While lignin increased within functional groups under elevated CO₂, this effect was attenuated by warming in grasses and by water additions in forbs. CO₂-induced increases in lignin within functional groups also were counteracted by an increase in the relative biomass of forbs, which contained less lignin than grasses. Consequently, there was no net change in the overall lignin content of senesced tissue at the plot level under elevated CO₂. Nitrate additions increased N in both grass and forb litter, although this effect was attenuated by water additions. Relative to changes in N within functional groups, changes in functional group dominance had a minor effect on overall litter N at the plot level. Nitrate additions had the strongest effect on decomposition, increasing lignin losses from Avena litter and interacting with water additions to increase decomposition of litter of other grasses. Increases in lignin that resulted from elevated CO₂ had no effect on decomposition but elevated CO₂ increased N losses from Avena litter. Overall, the interactions among elements of global change were as important as single-factor effects in influencing plant litter chemistry. However, with the exception of variation in N, litter quality had little influence on decomposition over the short term.     

Plant community and tissue chemistry responses to fertilizer and litter nutrient manipulations in a temperate grassland

Human-mediated nutrient amendments have widespread effects on plant communities. One of the major consequences has been the loss of species diversity under increased nutrient inputs. The loss of species can be functional group dependent with certain functional groups being more prone to decline than others. We present results from the sixth year of a long-term fertilization and litter manipulation study in an old-field grassland. We measured plant tissue chemistry (C:N ratio) to understand the role of plant physiological responses in the increase or decline of functional groups under nutrient manipulations. Fertilized plots had significantly more total aboveground biomass and live biomass than unfertilized plots, which was largely due to greater productivity by exotic C₃ grasses. We found that both fertilization and litter treatments affected plant species richness. Species richness was lower on plots that were fertilized or had litter intact; species losses were primarily from forbs and non-Poaceae graminoids. C₃ grasses and forbs had lower C:N ratios under fertilization with forbs having marginally greater %N responses to fertilization than grasses. Tissue chemistry in the C₃ grasses also varied depending on tissue type with reproductive tillers having higher C:N ratios than vegetative tillers. Although forbs had greater tissue chemistry responses to fertilization, they did not have a similar positive response in productivity and the number of forb species is decreasing on our experimental plots. Overall, differential nutrient uptake and use among functional groups influenced biomass production and species interactions, favoring exotic C₃ grasses and leading to their dominance. These data suggest functional groups may differ in their responses to anthropogenic nutrient amendments, ultimately influencing plant community composition.     

Nitrogen supply effects on productivity and potential leaf litter decay of Carex species from peatlands differing in nutrient limitation

We investigated the effect of increased N-supply on productivity and potential litter decay rates of Carex species, which are the dominant vascular plant species in peatlands in the Netherlands. We hypothesized that: (1) under conditions of N-limited plant growth, increased N-supply will lead to increased productivity but will not affect C:N ratios of plant litter and potential decay rates of that litter; and (2) under conditions of P-limited plant growth, increased N-supply will not affect productivity but it will lead to lower C:N ratios in plant litter and thereby to a higher potential decay rate of that litter. These hypotheses were tested by fertilization experiments (addition of 10 g N m^-2 year^-1) in peatlands in which plant growth was N-limited and P-limited, respectively. We investigated the effects of fertilization on net C-fixation by plant biomass, N uptake, leaf litter chemistry and potential leaf litter decay. In a P-limited peatland, dominated by Carex lasiocarpa, there was no significant increase of net C-fixation by plant biomass upon enhanced N-supply, although N-uptake had increased significantly compared with the unfertilized control. Due to the N-fertilization the C:N ratio in the plant biomass decreased significantly. Similarly, the C:N ratio of leaf litter produced at the end of the experiment showed a significant decrease upon enhanced N-supply. The potential decay rate of that litter, measured as CO₂-evolution from the litter under aerobic conditions, was significantly increase upon enhanced N-supply. In a N-limited peatland, dominated by C. acutiformis, the net C-fixation by plant biomass increased with increasing N-supply, whereas the increase in N-uptake was not significant. The C:N ratio of both living plant material and of dead leaves did not change in response to N-fertilization. The potential decay rate of the leaf litter was not affected by N-supply. The results agree with our hypotheses. This implies that atmospheric N-deposition may affect the CO₂-sink function of peatlands, but the effect is dependent on the nature of nutrient limitation. In peatlands where plant growth is N-limited, increased N-supply leads to an increase in the net accumulation of C. Under conditions of P-limited plant growth, however, the net C-accumulation will decrease, because productivity is not further increased, whereas the amount of C lost through decomposition of dead organic matter is increased. As plant growth in most terrestrial ecosystems is N-limited, increased N-supply will in most peatlands lead to an increase of net C-accumulation.     

喀斯特峰丛洼地不同类型森林养分循环特征

以中国西南喀斯特峰丛洼地为研究区域用标准木法和收获法对人工林、次生林、原生林3个不同类型森林的6个代表性群落的生物量、营养元素生物循环量及循环特征进行了研究。结果表明:(1)不同类型森林群落乔木各器官的养分含量大小顺序为:叶枝根干,林下植被层和凋落物层的养分含量比较高,其含量普遍高于乔木层各组分,仅次于乔木叶片;各组分中营养元素以K、Ca最高,P、Mg最低;(2)3种类型森林间乔木层的养分积累量总规律表现为原生林(4540.30 kg/hm~2)次生林(2107.09 kg/hm~2)人工林(719.51 kg/hm~2),分别占林分养分积累量的88.30%、79.57%和62.60%;(3)3种类型森林生态系统养分总贮量相差不大,均主要集中在土壤层在各层分配格局有所差异;营养元素的年吸收量和年归还量均为次生林原生林人工林,年吸收量分别为:418.80、271.17和148.79 kg hm~(-2)a~(-1);年归还量分别为:182.98、111.43和43.37 kg hm_(-2)a~(-1);(4)不同类型森林养分利用系数总规律为人工林(0.35)次生林(0.20)原生林(0.10);循环系数则相反,为原生林(0.48)次生林(0.46)人工林(0.30);而周转时间为原生林(37.32)人工林(18.63)次生林(13.93)。喀斯特峰丛洼地土层薄,养分贮存能力差,森林养分循环能力相对较弱,沿着强、中、弱干扰递减梯度,3种类型森林养分利用效率和循环能力呈增长趋势。     

亚热带不同植被恢复阶段生态系统N、P储量的垂直分配格局

氮(N)、磷(P)是影响生态系统生产力的主要养分因子,为科学评估植被恢复对生态系统N、P积累、分配及其耦合关系的影响,采用时空互代法,以湘中丘陵区地域相邻、环境条件基本一致,且处于不同恢复阶段的4个植物群落(4—5年灌草丛、10—12年灌木林、45—46年马尾松针阔混交林和>90年常绿阔叶林)作为一个恢复序列,设置固定样地,采用收获法和建立主要树种各器官生物量相对生长方程估算群落生物量,采集植被层(叶、枝、干、根)、凋落物层(未分解层、半分解层、已分解层)、土壤层(0—10、10—20、20—30、30—40 cm)样品,测定全N、全P含量,估算生态系统各组分(植被层、凋落物层、土壤层)全N、全P储量。结果表明：植被层全N、全P储量均随植被恢复增加,全N储量增长速率呈先慢后快的特征,而全P储量则呈慢—快—慢增长,地上(叶、枝、干)、地下(根)部分表现为异速增长;随植被恢复,凋落物层全N、全P储量先增加后下降,增长速率为先快后慢,4—5年灌草丛全N、全P储量最低;土壤层全N、全P储量随植被恢复显著增加(P<0.05),全N储量增长速率呈快-慢-快特征,而全P储量呈先慢后快特征...     

Vegetation feedbacks of nutrient addition lead to a weaker carbon sink in an ombrotrophic bog

To study vegetation feedbacks of nutrient addition on carbon sequestration capacity, we investigated vegetation and ecosystem CO₂ exchange at Mer Bleue Bog, Canada in plots that had been fertilized with nitrogen (N) or with N plus phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) for 7–12 years. Gross photosynthesis, ecosystem respiration, and net CO₂ exchange were measured weekly during May–September 2011 using climate‐controlled chambers. A substrate‐induced respiration technique was used to determine the functional ability of the microbial community. The highest N and NPK additions were associated with 40% less net CO₂ uptake than the control. In the NPK additions, a diminished C sink potential was due to a 20–30% increase in ecosystem respiration, while gross photosynthesis rates did not change as greater vascular plant biomass compensated for the decrease in Sphagnum mosses. In the highest N‐only treatment, small reductions in gross photosynthesis and no change in ecosystem respiration led to the reduced C sink. Substrate‐induced microbial respiration was significantly higher in all levels of NPK additions compared with control. The temperature sensitivity of respiration in the plots was lower with increasing cumulative N load, suggesting more labile sources of respired CO₂. The weaker C sink potential could be explained by changes in nutrient availability, higher woody : foliar ratio, moss loss, and enhanced decomposition. Stronger responses to NPK fertilization than to N‐only fertilization for both shrub biomass production and decomposition suggest that the bog ecosystem is N‐P/K colimited rather than N‐limited. Negative effects of further N‐only deposition were indicated by delayed spring CO₂ uptake. In contrast to forests, increased wood formation and surface litter accumulation in bogs seem to reduce the C sink potential owing to the loss of peat‐forming Sphagnum.     

Earthworms,Collembola and residue management change wheat (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Triticum aestivum</Emphasis>) and herbivore pest performance (Aphidina: <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rhophalosiphum padi</Emphasis>)

Management practices of arable systems determine the distribution of soil organic matter thereby changing decomposer animal activity and their impact on nutrient mineralization, plant growth and plant-herbivore interactions. Decomposer-mediated changes in plant growth and insect pest performance were investigated in wheat-aphid model systems in the greenhouse. Three types of litter distribution were established: litter patch at the soil surface (simulating mulching), litter patch deeper in soil (simulating ploughing) and litter homogeneously mixed into soil (simulating disk cultivation). The litter was labelled with (15)N to follow the mineralization and uptake of nutrients by the plants. Earthworms (Aporrectodea caliginosa) and Collembola (Protaphorura armata) were included as representatives of major functional groups of decomposers. Wheat (Triticum aestivum) was planted and aphids (Rhophalosiphum padi) were introduced to leaves as one of the most important pests. Earthworms, Collembola and litter distribution affected plant growth, N acquisition and aphid development in an interactive way. Earthworms and Collembola increased biomass of seeds, shoots and roots of wheat. Increased plant growth by earthworms and Collembola was mainly due to increased transfer of N from soil (rather than litter) into plants. Despite increasing plant growth, earthworms reduced aphid reproduction. Aphid reproduction was not correlated closely with plant N concentrations, but rather with the concentration of litter N in wheat. Unexpectedly, both Collembola and earthworms predominantly affected the mobilization of N from soil organic matter, and by altering the distribution of litter earthworms reduced infestation of crops by aphids via reducing plant capture of litter N, in particular if the litter was concentrated deeper in soil. The results suggest that management practices stimulating a continuous moderate increase in nutrient mobilization from soil organic matter rather than nutrient flushes from decomposing fresh organic matter result in maximum plant growth with minimum plant pest infestation.     

Leaf litter decomposition and nutrient dynamics in a subtropical forest after typhoon disturbance

Decomposition of typhoon-generated and normal leaf litter and their release patterns for eight nutrient elements were investigated over 3 yr using the litterbag technique in a subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest on Okinawa Island, Japan. Two common tree species, Castanopsis sieboldii and Schima wallichii, representative of the vegetation and differing in their foliar traits, were selected. The elements analyzed were N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Na, Al, Fe and Mn. Dry mass loss at the end of study varied in the order: typhoon green leaves > typhoon yellow leaves > normal leaves falling for both species. For the same litter type, Schima decomposed faster than Castanopsis. Dry mass remaining after 2 yr of decomposition was positively correlated with initial C:N and C:P ratios. There was a wide range in patterns of nutrient concentration, from a net accumulation to a rapid loss in decomposition. Leaf litter generated by typhoons decomposed more rapidly than did the normal litter, with rapid losses for N and P. Analysis of initial quality for the different litter types showed that the C:P ratios were extremely high (range 896 – 2467) but the P:N ratios were < 0.05 (range 0.02 – 0.04), indicating a likely P-limitation for this forest. On average 32% less N and 60% less P was retranslocated from the typhoon-generated green leaves than from the normal litter for the two species, Castanopsis and Schima. An estimated 2.13 g m^–2 yr^–1 more N and 0.07 g m^–2 yr^–1 more P was transferred to the soil as result of typhoon disturbances, which were as high as 52% of N and 74% of P inputted from leaf litter annually in a normal year. Typhoon-driven maintenance of rapid P cycling appears to be an important mechanism by which growth of this Okinawan subtropical forest is maintained.     

Carbon mineralization in the southern Sonoran Desert

We measured carbon mineralization in four different desert habitats (Arroyos, Hillsides, Canopies-Plains and Open-Plains) and the separate effect of litter addition from annual and perennial plants on soil microbial respiration using two laboratory soil incubation experiments. The differences in total aboveground phytomass among habitats correlates with soil nutrient content, soil particulate organic matter (POM) and consequently, C mineralization. The Arroyos habitat with the highest perennial plant phytomass and litter production, had the highest soil nutrient content, soil POM and C mineralization. Litter from annual plants had twice the P concentration than litter from the perennials, but only half the N concentration. Soil microbial respiration was higher with annual plant litter than with perennial plant litter in the Hillsides and Canopies-Plains, suggesting that microbial activity in both habitats was improved by litter with a higher C quality. In contrast, in the poorest habitat, the Open-Plains, the better response to the addition of perennial plant litter suggests that microbial activity may have been constrained by N input.     

云雾山典型草原火烧不同恢复年限土壤化学性质变化

云雾山典型草原处于黄土高原半干旱地区,也是草原火灾多发区,试验比较了未烧地与新烧地、火烧后3 a和火烧后11 a土壤有机碳(SOC)、全N、全P和速效K含量的变化过程。测量的土壤深度为50 cm,每10 cm一层,比较了4个样地0—10 cm、10—20 cm、20—30 cm、30—40 cm、40—50 cm土壤养分的变化。结果表明:(1)新烧地土壤剖面各层SOC、全N、全P和速效K含量都显著高于未烧地。(2)火烧后3 a样地土壤剖面各层SOC、全N、全P和速效K含量与未烧地差异不显著。(3)火烧后11 a样地土壤剖面各层全N含量都显著高于未烧地,SOC、全P和速效K含量除了0—10 cm层与未烧地差异不显著外,其它土层均显著增加。(4)4个样地的土壤剖面各层从上到下SOC、土壤全N、全P和速效K含量呈递减趋势。(5)3个火烧样地土壤表层(0—10 cm)的pH值和未烧地差异不显著。     

Nutrient Input and Carbon and Microbial Dynamics in an Ombrotrophic Bog

Slow rates of plant production and decomposition in ombrotrophic bogs are believed to be partially the result of low nutrient availability. To test the effect of nutrient availability on decomposition, carbon dioxide (CO₂) flux dynamics, microbial biomass, and nutrients, we added nitrogen (N) with phosphorus (P) and potassium (K), to prevent limitation of the latter 2 nutrients, over 2 growing seasons to plots at Mer Bleue peatland, Ontario, Canada. After the first growing season, increasing N fertilization (with constant P and K) decreased in vitro CO₂ production potential and increased microbial biomass measured with a chloroform fumigation-extraction technique in the upper peat profile, while by the end of the second season, CO₂ production potential was increased in response to N plus PK treatment, presumably due to more easily decomposable newly formed plant material. In situ CO₂ fluxes measured using chamber-techniques over the second year corroborated this presumption, with greater photosynthetic CO₂ uptake and ecosystem respiration (ER) during high N plus PK treatments. The more efficient microbial community, with slower CO₂ production potential and larger biomass, after the first year was characterized by larger fungal biomass measured with signature phospholipid fatty acids. The majority of N was likely quickly sequestered by the vegetation and transferred to dissolved organic forms and microbial biomass in the upper parts of the peat profile, while additional P relative to controls was distributed throughout the profile, implying that the vegetation at the site was N limited. However, in situ CO₂ flux data suggested the possibility of P or NPK limitation. We hypothesize that nutrient deposition may lead to enhanced C uptake by altering the microbial community and decomposition, however this pattern disappears through subsequent changes in the vegetation and production of more readily decomposable plant tissues.     

Long- and short-term effects of fire on nitrogen cycling in tallgrass prairie

Fires in the tallgrass prairie are frequent and significantly alter nutrient cycling processes. We evaluated the short-term changes in plant production and microbial activity due to fire and the long-term consequences of annual burning on soil organic matter (SOM), plant production, and nutrient cycling using a combination of field, laboratory, and modeling studies. In the short-term, fire in the tallgrass prairie enhances microbial activity, increases both above-and belowground plant production, and increases nitrogen use efficiency (NUE). However, repeated annual burning results in greater inputs of lower quality plant residues causing a significant reduction in soil organic N, lower microbial biomass, lower N availability, and higher C:N ratios in SOM. Changes in amount and quality of below-ground inputs increased N immobilization and resulted in no net increases in N availability with burning. This response occurred rapidly (e.g., within two years) and persisted during 50 years of annual burning. Plant production at a long-term burned site was not adversely affected due to shifts in plant NUE and carbon allocation. Modeling results indicate that the tallgrass ecosystem responds to the combined changes in plant resource allocation and NUE. No single factor dominates the impact of fire on tallgrass plant production.     

Annual burning of a tallgrass prairie inhibits C and N cycling in soil,increasing recalcitrant pyrogenic organic matter storage while reducing N availability

Grassland ecosystems store an estimated 30% of the world's total soil C and are frequently disturbed by wildfires or fire management. Aboveground litter decomposition is one of the main processes that form soil organic matter (SOM). However, during a fire biomass is removed or partially combusted and litter inputs to the soil are substituted with inputs of pyrogenic organic matter (py‐OM). Py‐OM accounts for a more recalcitrant plant input to SOM than fresh litter, and the historical frequency of burning may alter C and N retention of both fresh litter and py‐OM inputs to the soil. We compared the fate of these two forms of plant material by incubating ¹³C‐ and ¹⁵N‐labeled Andropogon gerardii litter and py‐OM at both an annually burned and an infrequently burned tallgrass prairie site for 11 months. We traced litter and py‐OM C and N into uncomplexed and organo‐mineral SOM fractions and CO₂ fluxes and determined how fire history affects the fate of these two forms of aboveground biomass. Evidence from CO₂ fluxes and SOM C:N ratios indicates that the litter was microbially transformed during decomposition while, besides an initial labile fraction, py‐OM added to SOM largely untransformed by soil microbes. Additionally, at the N‐limited annually burned site, litter N was tightly conserved. Together, these results demonstrate how, although py‐OM may contribute to C and N sequestration in the soil due to its resistance to microbial degradation, a long history of annual removal of fresh litter and input of py‐OM infers N limitation due to the inhibition of microbial decomposition of aboveground plant inputs to the soil. These results provide new insight into how fire may impact plant inputs to the soil, and the effects of py‐OM on SOM formation and ecosystem C and N cycling.